Venezuela's efforts to boost its economy through tourism have come at a steep environmental cost, further endangering vulnerable habitats that serve crucial ecological and social functions.
What's happening?
Reuters reported that activists, researchers, and locals have all criticized President Nicolás Maduro's decision to develop tourism-centric infrastructure in environmentally fragile regions.
For example, the Venezuelan Ecological Society accused the government of illegally extending the runway at the primary airport of Los Roques National Park by 500 meters to accommodate larger planes.
According to the conservation group, the construction violated a 2004 law and damaged coral, mangroves, and a nesting beach for critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles.
Maduro also plans to build 10 hotels, an airport, and a port on the largely uninhabited La Tortuga Island despite its alleged inability to process waste. Reuters spoke to several locals about this issue, and they expressed concern that plans to attract more tourists would exacerbate poor waste and sewage management.
"The national park has become a disaster," former Los Roques park ranger and conservationist Toribio Mata, who still resides on the archipelago, told the publication. "The park was conserved because we were paying attention. We conducted rounds to protect turtles in the park, marine species, to prevent construction on the cays."
Why are Venezuela's plans to improve tourism concerning?
While Maduro and his staff have touted their commitments from foreign investors, a lack of oversight has left many to wonder what will become of the South American nation's biodiversity.
Anglers who rely on fishing for income attributed fewer lobsters and octopuses in the water to overfishing in protected areas and blamed other fishermen for using chlorine to coax octopuses out of reefs and poisoning the coral. Meanwhile, tourists have discarded cigarette butts and disregarded advisories to not wear sunscreen, both of which are toxic to marine habitats.
The chemicals and sewage paired with the planet's overheating have led the seas around Venezuela — which just lost its last glacier and have suffered two coral bleaching events since November 2023 — to register record-high temperatures, per biologist Ángel Farina.
🗣️ Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty?
🔘 Definitely 👍
🔘 Only in some areas ☝️
🔘 No way 👎
🔘 I'm not sure 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"Construction creates pollution, it creates sedimentation that can affect reefs temporarily or permanently ... deforestation of mangroves is harmful anywhere because they are nurseries for diverse species," he added.
"It's a jewel, an ecological jewel," an anonymous researcher formerly employed in Los Roques said of the archipelago. "The regulations of the national park are not being respected; it's being pushed toward commercialization, toward mass tourism."
What's being done about Venezuela's plans?
Maduro stated that his plans take the environment into consideration, and his son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, echoed a similar sentiment. It's "ecologically stable and friendly to the island, keeping part of the island virgin," the latter said of the La Tortuga scheme.
However, two government sources contradicted these statements, noting that there were not any impact studies conducted for the runway project in Los Roques.
At the very least, a team of conservationists has worked to remove an invasive coral species off the coast of Venezuela.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
